Allison Voneida
The GLBRC SURP program was an excellent introduction to the world of research.
I spent my ten weeks on the MSU campus in the Kravchenko soil lab. My mentors, Poulamee and Maxwell, were of great help throughout the program and assisted me every step of the way.
My project assessed the impacts of drought on fungal biomass in soils. Soils subjected to drought conditions under rain exclusion shelters were collected prior to my involvement. My part in this project was to quantify fungal biomass in the samples through methanol extraction and chromatography analysis.
I am a horticulture major at Michigan State University, and before this summer I exclusively worked outside in horticulture production, either on farms or in greenhouses.
This summer, I worked inside for most of the program, which provided a very different work environment than my previous positions. While I sometimes missed working with nature, I gained a different perspective through my lab work. Research involves understanding the big picture, and field and lab work are needed. Even though I was not the one who collected soil samples and worked in the field, I still played an important role in understanding the impact of drought on soil.
The difference in my work environment this summer made me a more well-rounded employee, and I now appreciate both outdoor and indoor work.
As a rising senior, graduation and my future career are quickly approaching. This program provided many resources, including career workshops, seminar series, networking opportunities, and graduate school information that were very helpful.
In addition, making connections with the other students was a lot of fun. Each day, I looked forward to having friends to eat lunch with in the dining hall and saying hello to them in the workshops. My fondest memories with the other students include a trip to the dairy store and a weekend excursion to the Kellogg Biological Station.